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Community Foundation |
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Who are we? The Community Foundation is the fundraising arm of the Civic League. We work to preserve and enhance the character of Roland Park, with an emphasis on parks, open space and public areas. The Community Foundation was established in 1987 as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We support the Civic League, Roads and Maintenance, and other neighborhood organizations by raising money for projects in our community that benefit present and future generations of residents. The members of the Community Foundation Board of Directors are residents of Roland Park, with representation from one or more of the surrounding neighborhoods. If you are interested in serving on the Board, please send us an email to CommunityFoundation@rolandpark.org. . How do we raise money? The Foundation has three ways of raising money. We: 1. Mail an annual appeal to residents and friends of Roland Park 2. Host an annual Spring Celebration fundraising cocktail party 3. Accept donations from deferred giving The funds from these efforts are dispersed for current projects or added to the endowment..
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Why do we need an endowment? Roland Park is an example of early suburban community planning. A number of features of our neighborhood, the paths, for example, are almost unique and will need substantial investment of capital at some point in the future to preserve them. Unfortunately, the features that make our neighborhood desirable to us as residents also make it vulnerable to development. An endowment allows the neighborhood to respond to development threats by outright purchase, or purchase of development rights or rights of first refusal, and would pay for legal support to enforce existing zoning. A number of your neighbors with developable lots have generously donated the development rights or the land itself to the Foundation.
Where does the Foundation spend the money it raises? The Foundation’s charge is to support the infrastructure of the neighborhood, particularly in preserving open space and community areas. Usually, grants are made to pay for the start-up costs of various neighborhood improvements suggested by the Civic League or Roads and Maintenance.
Does the Foundation make grants only to Civic League and Roads & Maintenance projects? No. In the past few years, we have also supported the renovation of the Roland Park Library and provided the Roland Park Elementary/Middle School with funds for improvements. Sometimes, the Foundation develops projects of its own, such as the streetscape improvements of Roland Avenue.
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